IHRA raises Sportsman purses!

[Adger Smith]

Joe,
As a former multi track owner and operator from the Good Old Days I would like to try to answer your question on insurance in the past. First let me say this is in no way intended to point out anything bad at either NHRA or IHRA or the current insurance companies. I'm Just telling it like it is from my side of the fence.
I ran my tracks under both NHRA and IHRA and as independent. In the past you bought track insurance based on the type of race your having and the duration. When I ran bracket races for one day I paid a set amount. When I stepped up and had a Pro Comp race (Alky funnies & alky dragsters) I had to pay a different rate and it also had a length of event, by day cost. 2 days cost more than 1 day and 3 cost more than 2 days, ect.
The policy had to be paid in full up front. It also had a deadline for payment and a deadline for payment for running a day long because of rain or delay.
As a track owner I paid the insurance. I usually just figured it in as part of the entry fees. I always knew up front what the cost was. I don't think It was ever based on number of participants or attendance, just the type of event.
Back in my day the only racers that got in free were the booked in shows. With all the Free Pros and booked in show formats of today who pays for their insurance? Could these 2 days the sportsmen race with the additional insurance fees be what pays the insurance for the Pro days and booked in show days? If I remember correctly the rates for insurance increased drastically if blower cars and exotic fuel cars were run. I'm pretty sure it is the same way today.
That always told me the slower sportsman cars were safer and caused less death and destruction than the pros or Shows that had blowers and exotic fuel. It would be interesting to check the frequency of claims on the insurance companies and see who really costs more. Shouldn't the spectator that comes to see these shows be responsible for paying "Their' insurance coverage, not the sportsman that is out of there by the time the show starts???